The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport is about to get a major boost in funding, to the tune of $2.7 million.

On Thursday, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, Maryam Monsef, along with Saskatchewan Government Relations Minister, Lori Carr, and Moose Jaw Mayor, Fraser Tolmie, announced funding for improvements to the airport which will benefit the local economy and increase safety.

The Government of Canada will be investing $1.2 million into the project through the Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada plan, while the provincial government will be contributing $999,900 to the project. The city will be chipping in too, contributing $500,100, and will also be responsible for any additional costs.

The project will go toward rehabilitation and expansion of the existing runway and taxiway which will allow it to accommodate larger planes. It will also go toward the construction of a new apron space which will increase the parking area and allow for heavier aircrafts to the parked. A new hanger access road will also be built, reducing the use of taxiways by vehicle traffic. Improvements will also be made to the installation of an additional runway, taxiway, and approach lights.

"Today's announcement demonstrates our continued commitment to growing our city and reinforces our confidence that Moose Jaw is moving forward," Mayor Fraser Tolmie said. "We thank the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan for recognizing the value of this project and making significant investments. These improvements to the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport will benefit our local economy, and we thank the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority and local business community for their hard work, support, and commitment to the municipal airport."

"Canada’s experience under COVID-19 has demonstrated how interdependent Canadians are, as well as our need to stay connected," said Maryam Monsef. "Connecting Canadians through regional transportation hubs, like the Moose Jaw Airport, brings jobs to rural communities in the region, and will support Canada’s economic recovery. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has supported five major broadband projects in Saskatchewan, impacting more than 56,000 households and 54 institutions, including schools, libraries, municipal offices and health centres. More than 1,000 km of fibre has been deployed across the province to help connect homes and businesses. This is in addition to 230 projects across the province to improve roads, bridges, drinking water, wastewater, and build community recreation projects. By investing in projects such as this, we are helping communities across Saskatchewan strengthen their economies and build more resilient infrastructure."

Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority Chair, Greg Simpson, said the news was welcomed with open arms.

"The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority team is very excited to see this runway expansion and rehabilitation of the airside facilities project begin to come to fruition. When construction is finished, these upgrades will improve safety and benefit current airport users in the health and agricultural sectors, along with potential new business that rely on general aviation. This will improve access to critical health care services and help support economic development in our community, thanks to improved transportation infrastructure. We are grateful for both the confidence demonstrated and the financial support provided."

The Government of Canada and Government of Saskatchewan said they recognize the different ways that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected communities across Saskatchewan, and that both governments are making strategic investments in infrastructure to meet specific needs of communities to help strengthen local economies.